Botswana’s generally sedate political profile was ruffled in April 1994 by a major scandal that rocked the ruling Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) with the disclosure that top Cabinet ministers, including Pres. Sir Ketumile Masire, owed the National Development Bank (NDB) 15 million pula. The president repaid his loan, but the other ministers did not; close to financial disaster, the NDB closed 15 district offices and sacked half its staff.

Elections for the National Assembly took place in October. The BDP retained power by winning 26 of the 40 contested seats, but this was a loss of 9 seats from the previous Assembly. The Botswana National Front (BNF) won 13 seats, a gain of 10. Voting was delayed for one seat because of the death of the BDP candidate. The BDP reaffirmed its hold on most of the rural population, while the BNF had the best returns in urban areas.

Although regarded as a more expensive area in which to do business than neighbouring South Africa, Botswana attracted a major investment during the year when Owens-Corning Fiberglas Corp. set up a plant in Botswana on the grounds that "political stability and Botswana’s rapid economic growth and favourable geographic position won the day."

Owens-Corning planned to own 49% of the new company, with the Botswana Development Corp. owning 35%, and the balance being owned by private investors in Botswana. The plant was to produce reinforced-plastic water pipes, for which there was substantial regional demand.